Tool guard



Jan. 22, 1929. n

' H. KLEHM TOOL GUARD Filed April 18, 1927 INVENTOR ATToR'NEYs I l1h would?,

Patented Jan. 22,- 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

-. HENRY KLEHM, OF SOUTH MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO SAFETY APPLI ANCE CO., OF SOUTH MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, .A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

, YrooL GUARD.

Application filed. April 18, 1927-. Serial No. 184,731.

rIhis invention relates to improvements in tool guards, and more particularly to guards for jointers, planers, and the like.

In tools or machines such as jointers, the

f revolving tool or knife extends transversely' to the bench and below the same, projecting slightly above the level of the bench through a slot. The outer or working portion of the revolving tool has heretofore been satisfac torily guarded, but the inner end portion of the tool has been left unguarded with the result that if the operator should accidentally come into contact therewith serious injury will result.

It is therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide a guarding device for the inner end portionof a jolnter tool or the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a guard of the class described which will be adjusted with the work gauge and will be effective in all positions of adjustment. l

A further object of the invention is to provide a guard of the class described which is flexible, and, although being connected with the work gauge it will vpermit the gauge to be folded or moved to work releasing positions. f

A further object of the invention isto provide a guard for revolving tools with which any formv of bench machines may beV readily equipped.

` A further object of the vinvention is to provide a tool guard which is of very simple construction, is inexpensive to manufacture, is eiiicient and automatic in operation, is strong and durable, and is well adapted for the purpose described.

lVith the above and other objects in view the invention consists of the improved tool guard, and its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawing in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. l is a cross sectional view of a jointer equipped with the improved guard;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of a jointer and the guard therefor; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing it will appearthat the numeral 5 indicates the bench portion of a jointer or similar machine and mounted transversely below the top portion of the bench, inter-4 mediate its ends is a revolving jointer tooly 6 having its end portions journaled in suitable depending bearings 7 and carrying a pulley 8 at one end which is driven by means of `a belt 9 extending to a suitable source of power. The bench portion 5, immediately above the tool 6, is provided with a transverse slot 10 to accommodate the cutting elements 11 of the tool and as said tool revolves said elements project lthrough said' slot slightly above the top surface of the bench to engage and cut or plane a 'board l2 which is pushed longitudinally of theY bench against an adjustabl'e gauge 13, being held thereagainst by a pivotally mounted, spring urged holding member 14. Said member 14 guards the portion of the tool outwardly of the work, but the portion of the tool inwardly of the work and gauge 13 is guarded by the improved means now to be explained in detail.

A support 15 extends vertically upwardly from the inner side portion of the bench adjacent the slot 10 and said support has secured thereto a slat guide 16 .which has a vertical portion extending up the support and a curved lower end portion 16. slat guide is of channeled formation to conline a slidable slatted chain member 17 The chain member 17 is formed of a plurality of hingedly connected together slat members or blocks 18, each of which is shaped as clearly. shown in Fig. 3. The bottom portion of each blockis formed with a longitudinal groove or recess 19 and ina chain of blocks all of the grooves register and are adapted for disposition over the bench slot 10 and provide clearance or accommodation for the knives 1l of the tool 6, as shown in Fig. 3. Each block has secured'to its upper surface a hinge member 2O having a projecting hook portion 21 extended over and pivotally engaging a looped portion 22 of the next adjacent hinge member. In this manner all of the blocks forming the chain are hingedly connected together. The innermost block of the chain has pivotally secured thereto an upstanding lug 23 which is bolted to the gauge 13, as at 24:.

The jointer is, of course, usedin the same manner as jointers of ordinary construction with the work passed along over the tool between the members 13 and 14, as described.

The chain of blocks, disposed over the slot 10, and covering the inner end portion of the tool effectively guards the same and prevents the operator from being accidentally injured thereby. Also, the guard, being fieXible and also being pivotally connected to the gauge 13 may be moved with said gauge. The gauge is constructed to be laterally adjustable with respect to the bench to accommodate boards of different thicknesses and when the gauge is laterally adjusted the guard will be moved therewith, always covering the inner unused portion of the tool, and in moving inwardly, the ieXible guard will slide upwardly in the guide 16. The gauge 13, as is usual, may also be folded or hinged rearwardly to release the work and when the gauge is so moved the pivotal connection of the lug 23 and the flexibility of the chain permits the chain to fold or bend as much as is required.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the improved tool guard is of very simple and novel construction, and is well adapted for the purpose set forth.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. The combination with a machine including a table, a tool positioned therebelow and projecting through the table and an adjustable gauge on the table, of an elongated flexible guard member slidably mounted on the table over a portion of the tool and adjustable with said gauge to cover more or less of one end portion of the tool, and a rigidly mounted guide member projecting upwardly from an edge portion of the table and slidably receiving a project-ing unused portion of the guard.

2. The combination with a. machine including a table, a tool positioned therebelow and projecting through the table and an adjustable gauge on the table, of an elongated flexible guard member connected at one end pertion with said gauge and slidably positioned on said table over a portion of the tool and adjustable with said gauge to cover more or less of one end portion of the tool, anda prising a plurality of hingedly connected together, readily separable blocks. j j

4. rfhe combination with a mach-ine includ.- ing a table, a tool associatedtherewith and an adjustable gauge on thetable, of an elongated flexible guard member pivotally connected at one end portion with'said gauge and.

adjustable'therewith and covering a portion of the tool, said guard member comprising a plurality of disconnectible hingedly connected together blocks having registering grooves formed in their lower surfaces forthe ac-A commodation of projecting portionsof the tool. r n

5. The combination with a jointer having a bench with a transverse slot therein, a revolving tool mounted below the, bench and projecting through said slot and a. laterally movable and tiltable gauge mounted on the bench adjacent said tool, of an elongated flexible guard member pivotally connected at one end portion with said gauge and slidably positioned on the bench, transversely thereto, over a portion of the slot and adjustable with said gauge to cover more or less ofthe tool, said guard member comprising a plurality `of disconnectible hingedly connected together wooden blocks having registering grooves formed in their lower surfaces for the accommodation of projecting .portions of the tool, and a rigid guide member extendingupwardly at an Vangle to the guarding portion of' said guard member and slidably receiving a projecting unused portion of the guard member. In testimony whereof, I aliix my signature.

HENRY KLEI-IM. 

